Clam-shell bucket.



J. G. SMITH.

GLAM SHELL BUUKET.

- APPLICATION FILED DBO.16,1911.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

IV/r/vEssEs WWI!) 1' as shown in Fig. 3. Fig.

. ally mounted at its lower end on the pin 8,-

UNITED STATES JOHN GEORGE SMITH, 0F WELLAND, ONTARIO, CANADA CLAM-ISHELL BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

Application filed December 16, 1911. Serial No. 666,250.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. SMITH, of Welland, in the Province of Ontario and the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clam- Shell Buckets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in hoisting or like buckets of the clam shell or orange peel varieties, and the object is to provide efficient raising and lowering means which will eliminate the chains at present in general use.

A further object is to provide bucket operating means which will be more posi: tive in action and insure the bucket taking a. full load.

A still further object is to provide means for minimizing the shock incidental to the opening of the bucket.

In the drawings which illustrate this invention:-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bucket open, showing the parts in the position they occupy at the moment that the bucket is lowered on the work. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts prior to the commencement of the closing movement of the bucket. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bucket in closed position ready for hoisting. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the bucket in the same position 5 is a horizontal section showing the arrangement of the autoinatic latch. Fig.5 is a sectional view of an alternative form of latch.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 6 designates a pair of similar jaw members forming the bucket and provided with hinge members 7 which are preferably castings and are connected by the pivot pin 8 in the usual manner. A tubular member 9 preferably square in cross section is pivotand is adapted to receive a tongue 10 formed on the lower portion of the hoisting and lowering member 11, which is provided in its upper portion with a slot 12 and at its extreme upper end with an eye 13 for the attachment of a single hoisting and lowering chain. The jaw operating chains at present in general use are replaced in this invention by links 14 which extend from the upper corners of the jaw members and are pivotally connected by a common pin 15 which is arranged to slide vertically in the slot 12 of the member 11.. The tubular through an aperture 20 formed in the mem ber 9. A spring 21 is tensioned between the slotted arm of the lever and a lug 22 on the member 9, and operates to hold the lever in such position that the latch is normally maintained projecting into the bore of the member 9. The opposite extremity of the lever 16 is provided with a suitable aperture 23 for the attachment of a trip rope or the like. The tongue 10 is provided near its upper end with an aperture 24. for the reception of the latch 19. The lower end of this tongue is rounded or beveled as shown at 25 in order that when the tongue is lowered into the member 9 it will automatically disclose the latch.

It is well known that the opening of buckets of this type produces great shock which is destructive, not only to the bucket itself but also to the hoisting apparatus. In order to overcome this disadvantage, I provide a cylinder 26 of suitable size pivoted at 27 to each of the hinge members 7 in such a way that the cylinders are free to oscillate with respect to the hinge members. Each cylinder is provided with a piston 28, the pistons of adjacent cylinders being connected by a piston rod 29. A spring 30 is located in each cylinder in such a way as to be con'iprossed between the piston and the cylinder head during the opening movement of the buckets. This compression is due to the fact that the piston rod and pistons remain relatively stationary while the cylinders are moved apart by the opening jaw members, as will be readily understood by a comparison of Figs. 1 and 3.

The operation of the device is as follows :-The bucket is lowered in open position on the work as shown in Fig. 1. It uvill he noted that the pin 15 lies in the bottom of the slot 12, the weight of the bucket being supported by 'the links 14 which also hold it open. The tongue 10 is drawn up until only its lowcrextremity remains in' the tubular member 9. When the bucket comes to rest on the work, the lowerin operation is continued so that the mem er 11 descends, the tongues 10 thereof passing into the member 9. During this descent the beveled end of the tongue forces'the pin out of its path .as will be readily understood. lrVhen the member 11 reaches its lowest position, as shown in Fig. 3, the'aperture 24 in the tongue comes into register with the aperture 20 in the member 9, and the spring 21 automatically draws the latch 19 into the tongue aperture 24, thus locking theitongue'in the member and preventin relative motionl It will be seen that in this position the pin 15 is at the top of the slot 12 havin been held stationary by the links 14 durlng the descent of'the memberll. This position is ,shown in Fig. 2. The bucket is now raisedin the usual manner, but by reason of the tongue 10 being locked in the member 9, the lifting effort is applied to the hinge member 8 at that the bucket closes. Thisclosing is also assisted bythe expansion of the springs inthe clylrlinders 26. During the closing operation e links 14 and pin 15 remain practically stationary, and while the member 11 moves upwardly'untib the pin 15 again lies in the bottom of the slot 12. This position is illustrated'in Fig. 3. Whenthe closed bucket has been raised and conveyed to'the dumping point, the operator pulls the lever 16 so that the latch 19is withdrawn from engagement with the tOngue'lO, thus removing the central support of the bucket and throwing all its weight onto the links 14. The

bucket opens and discharges in the well known manner. During the opening movea ment the hinge members 7 move apart and carry with them the pivoted cylinders 27, so that the springs 30 located therein are compressed and absorb nearly the whole of the shock of the opening buckets, thus removing a great stress from the links 14.

member 11 and hoisting chain. The slot 17 in the trip lever allows the latch 19 to move without oscillation.

It will be seen from the foregoing descripfl" "'bf the bucket, a pin connectingsaid links and operating in slot of said hoisting memtion that the action of this bucket is almost entirely automatic and that there are no: slack chains to become entangledin the I the member 9 by a spring 31. The trip leof the aperture 20, thus disconnecting the two members and allowing the bucket to dump.

Having now fully described my invention, whatI claim is 1. In a bucket'of the class described, a pair of similar bucket members, a pin pivotally connecting said members, a slotted hoisting member having a tongue, links suspending the corners of the bucket from said hoisting member, and operating in the slot of said hoisting member, a tubular member receiving said tongue, and means whereby-the suspension of the bucket may be shifted from the corners to the center.

2. In a bucket of the class described, a

- pair of similar bucket members, a pin pivotally connecting said members, an apertured tubular member pivoted on said ,pivot pin, a slotted hoisting member telescoping into said J tubular member, provided with an apertured tongue,li'nks connected to the corners 0t the bucket, a pin connecting said links and operating in the slot of said hoisting member, an arm carried by said tubular member, a latch on said arm adapted to enter the aperture in said tubular member and the aperture in said tongue to lock the hoisting member in the tubular member whereby the suspension of the bucket will be transferred from thelinks to the pivot pin. I

3. In a bucket of the class described a pair of similar bucket members, a pin pivotally connecting said members, a tubular lnejnber pivoted on said pivot pin, a slotted ,ho sting member telescoping into said tubulah'memben'links connected to the corners her, and means for automatically locking the hoisting member in the tubular member whereby the suspension of the bucket will be transferred from the links tothe pivot 1n. p In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. JOHN GEORGE SMITH. 'Witnesses:

D. L. VVnAvEn, CHAS. lVIAY. 

